


Silver Rose

by Kanani



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-07 23:21:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13445559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanani/pseuds/Kanani
Summary: Autumn Rose and Qrow Branwen were once friends and lovers, but an explosive argument and a secret caused them to go their own ways.  A little more than ten years later, they reunite to protect Ruby Rose and take down a common enemy. Salem.





	Silver Rose

From the dark corner of the pub, I watched Qrow Branwen walk through the doors. He scanned the room for trouble and took a seat not far from me. My black cloak was pulled over my head and shadowed my face. His eyes locked on mine, sensing my gaze. I looked away quickly and flagged down a waitress. I ordered another drink and sat back. The normalcy of my interaction with the waitress seemed to put him at ease.

What’s he doing here? Last I’d heard he was in Vale assisting with the Grimm cleanup. He was a long way from home. He reclined in the chair and stared out the window. It was obvious to anybody paying enough attention that he was watching someone or something. I followed his gaze and almost choked on an ice cube. What in hell was she doing here? Ruby Rose and three other teenagers were checking in at the hotel across the street. I spat the offending ice cube back into the cup and checked to see if I had drawn any attention to myself with my choking.

I hadn’t seen her since right before she left for Beacon Academy. Admitted two years ahead of her class. She had her mother’s talent for combat. It was genetic. It came with having silver eyes. I absently rubbed my eyes. My own silver eyes were concealed behind a pair of colored contacts giving them a pale amber color. Silver eyes were rare, usually running in bloodlines. My sister, the most powerful silver eyed warrior in the last century, was murdered by Salem and her lot. We were hunted out of fear of our potential. Not all silver eyed people could harness the power within. I wasn’t sure Ruby would be able to, but then she proved me wrong the night Beacon fell. Her power rivaled that of her mother. My sister. 

It was hard being around Ruby. She reminded me of Summer so much it hurt. Her death had left a hole in my heart that had yet to heal. Since her death, I stayed away from the family as much as I could. I didn’t want my enemies targeting them. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to Yang and Ruby. Without any children of my own, they were as close as I would get. 

I was currently hunting a very dangerous Faunus. He worked for Salem, and as far as I could tell, seemed to be hunting the Spring Maiden. I knew he was close and it terrified me to have such a dangerous man anywhere near Ruby. After her display at Beacon, she painted a large target on her back. Salem and her lackeys knew she had the potential to draw upon her latent power. Ruby was now a threat to their plans. If this this man, Tyrion knew of her, Ruby was in serious trouble. 

The sound of flirtatious giggling drew me out of my thoughts. My waitress was handing Qrow a glass of whisky. The blush across her cheeks told me she was infatuated with the hunter. What woman wasn’t? He was tall, lean and very attractive. He was also deadly. If this waitress knew how deadly he was, would she swoon at his feet or run screaming? 

She pointed upstairs, winked and sauntered off with a bounce to her step. Odd. Qrow sampled the drink and made his way upstairs. 

Curiosity got the better of me. After a few minutes, I followed him upstairs. I found a deserted table near the stairs and took a seat. Raven Branwen sat across the table from Qrow. They seemed to be having a heated conversation, but I wasn’t able to make out any of it. When was the last time I saw the twins together? Whatever brought Raven here, must have been important. She wouldn’t have come otherwise. Despite her beauty and lovely scarlet eyes, Raven was a cold-hearted bitch. It was a miracle that her daughter, Yang was as cheerful and bubbly as she is. Probably Summer’s influence. 

Their conversation was brief. Raven grabbed her mask off the table and left through her signature red portal. The waitress from earlier dropped her tray at the sight and stifled a scream. I rolled my eyes. If that was enough to make her scream, she couldn’t handle Qrow. I was pleased with this assessment. I’d always been attracted to him, but it was never me he had eyes for. Men always overlooked me for my elder sister. 

Qrow turned to face the waitress with a cocked eyebrow. He was amused by her skittishness. He started to say something but paused when he spotted me. Busted. He placed his hand closer to the sheath of his weapon. This could go sour quick.

I stood up and tossed my hood back. His hand relaxed at his side, but the look he gave me was not a friendly one. We hadn’t parted on good terms last time.

“Hi.” I gave him an awkward wave. 

“What brings you here, Autumn?” 

“The booze?” I shrugged and pointed to my half empty glass.

He rolled his eyes and sat back down. He motioned for me to join him. The waitress had finally gathered her senses and bolted downstairs like a grimm was chasing her. I snorted and plopped down in the seat Raven had occupied only moments before. He crossed his arms over his chest and kicked the chair back on two legs.

“The booze here sucks. Try again.” He said calmly.

“Fine. I’m tracking one of Salem’s agents. He’s been searching for the Spring Maiden with no luck. Recently, he’s changed his hunting grounds. He’s looking for something here and it’s not the maiden.” I didn’t actually know that for a fact, just based it off speculation. His hunting grounds had changed and he seemed more aggressive. Tyrion was already off his rocker, but now he was an insane man with a target. One he could sniff out and play with. Not something as hard to find as a Maiden.

Ruby. My instincts screamed.

Qrow tensed. “Who is this man, and who is his new target?”

“His name is Tyrion. He’s a scorpion faunus and insane as they come. I don’t know who he’s hunting for certain, but I have an idea.”  
Qrow took the words out of my mouth, “Ruby.”

I nodded silently. I downed the rest of my alcohol and slammed the glass on the table. “Why can’t they leave our family alone? Haven’t they done enough?”

His eyes darkened. And his hand tightened around his glass. “It was only a matter of time before they came after her.”

“Qrow, I know she’s here. I saw her across the street with three others. What is she doing here? What are you doing here?”

“They are on their way to Minstral to warn Haven of an impending attack. As for me, I’m keeping them safe.”

“Then why aren’t you…” Realization dawned on me. “They don't know you’re here. Qrow, c’mon, she’s not a child any more.”

He bit his lip. “You know why.”

I did. He had the worst semblance I’d ever seen. It was cruel. He was a bringer of misfortune. It wasn’t something he could turn on and off. It was always there, surrounding him, affecting friend and foe alike. He had a big heart and loved Ruby and Yang more than anybody on the planet. Feeling the need to distance himself from her in the case of an accident hurt him deeply. He hadn’t trusted himself in combat around friends and family since his team broke up. 

I wasn’t sure what I could say to rid us of this horrible tension. I flagged down another waitress and ordered a round of top shelf whisky for us both. When all else failed, buy the man a drink. The tension stayed between us well after our drinks arrived. 

“If you’re not going to drink that.” I reached for his untouched glass. 

He raised his eyebrow and swatted my hand away. He wrapped his hand around it and gave it a swirl. “No need to rush. We have all night.”

“We do, do we? Well, some of us need our beauty sleep.” I rose from the chair and stood beside him. I dropped my hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “You keep her safe. She’s all I have left.”


End file.
